It’s a tragedy really that many of our world’s most talented people can go unnoticed for so long. But now, with the advent of the internet, we are constantly rediscovering precious gems of our rich collective history and culture!

Like, Bobby Banas!

Bobby Banas swinging his hips and hair for some major 1960s swag.

You might have noticed this 60s bad ass popping up all over the interweb recently for his wild poppin’, non-stoppin’ style in a 1964 segment of The Judy Garland Show showcasing the latest youth dance craze – the Nitty Gritty!

Go figure that over 50 years after the fact, he would become a viral sensation. Time is funny like that . . .

We say it all the time; style isn’t just what you wear – it’s how you live! And judging from this bad boy’s dance moves, Bobby has enough style to give for all of us.

Tell me after watching this you don’t feel inspired!

We were surprised/not surprised to find out this rebel dancer was also featured in the epitomizing classic masterpiece WEST SIDE STORY in the iconic Jets gang, and also made out with Marilyn Monroe in the 1950 flick “Let’s Make Love”.

To our knowledge, Bobby Banas, a resident New Yorker, is live and well to this day.

“Why do you like me more when I was prouder and wilder, more full of words, yet emptier?”
― Friedrich Hölderlin

Don’t quote me on this one, but I feel like I’ve been hearing/reading a lot of talk about Kim K being the inventor of the selfie. She released her book SELFISH , and whilst you can attribute the ‘success’ of her following (52.8 million and counting) to her candid take on life posting bits and bites of her online constantly, she wouldn’t be the first or last to take a picture of themselves.

Nowadays ‘selfies’ are rampant on the internet, and its quite curious to see a generation of children growing up with the notion that there is an essential need to post one’s image ‘online’ at all times. There’s a saying these days that ‘if you don’t see it on Instagram, it didn’t happen‘ – which by all standards seems a little reductive to the actual experience of life and living, don’t you find?

While Kim may have been one of the forerunners in the popularization of the ‘selfie’, and even pushing the boundaries of the process of raising your phone in front of your face and pushing a button to some form or medium that one could consider ‘art’ . . . ? ? ?

Too much self-centred attitude, you see, brings, you see, isolation. Result: loneliness, fear, anger. The extreme self-centred attitude is the source of suffering.

-Dalai Lama

Yes, that’s what’s strange and hilarious about this whole ordeal, when in fact, if you take a look at a ‘selfie’ from the past, they are a whole lot more interesting than the run-of-the-mill duck face, booty-tooched, tiara-faced, bicep crunched, mid drift bared, grainy narcissism that is usually made to elicit some form of hype or attention; rather they are candid, curious moments immortalized by light and silver taken in a manner that is even more technically advanced and complicated than your phone or tablet.

Hope I didn’t offend anyone and their phone or tablet, but its the gosh-darn truth. And even before the advancements of the photograph in general, we had artists who painstakingly mixed pigment and with brushes artfully illuminated their souls onto canvas in what are often the best works by any artist- the self portrait, as we have come to call it.

It’s good to be selfish. But not so self-centred that you never listen to other people.

-Hugh Hefner

It would seem as a collective whole; as a community through history – we have always been fascinated by our true image, or at least, the image we leave behind of ourselves when we are gone. Perhaps its a stab at not being forgotten, or perhaps it is the artists own way of insuring they remember the times that were.

So in true E.O.F. style, we want to take a look back at the great ‘selfies’ of the past, remembering where we came from, and hopefully we can invigorate some imagination to add a flux to our inevitable futures.

Some things never change . . . certain aspects can change drastically on a dime, but as a whole, I think our tendencies tend to stay consistent.

The oldest ‘selfie’ we included in the gallery is of Ancient Egyptian sculptor Bak, who was chief sculptor to the pharaoh Akhenaten (father to the very famous Tutankhamun) who drastically shifted Ancient Egyptian customs during his rule which included their religion, as well as the world of art. Amazingly, this sculpture that depicts Bak and his wife dates from 1345 BC and is one of the earliest known examples of an artist taking to their own self image.

My personal favourite is that of Grand Duchess Anastasia (fourth from last) which dates from 1913. 13 at the time, she uses a Kodak Brownie (circa. 1900) propped on a chair in front of a mirror to curiously capture her own self image and remains one of the most famous ‘selfies’ ever taken (sorry Kim…) due to the circumstances of her death just five years after she took this photo.

+KNIGHTS OF THE SANDCASTLE +

There once was a mysterious band of knights who roamed and raved their days and nights along the banks of the cool dark waters. Young and wild, they howled at the moon like the wolves, and on the clear days when the sun seemed to sparkle like diamonds on their faces, they stood sullen like statues of antiquity before cawing and cooing outrageously to their peers.

They sat watching the crowd waves roar; the boardwalk full of walking visitors, strange and new from far away places, that would all turn away in disdain from the boys of summer, sensing somehow their mighty position above it all . . .

They weren’t there for the sights and sounds, instead vying for an order of things far from the distressing quarrels of everyday society.

Simple positions shared amongst them all. One assigned to watch, another to distribute, another to discover, and the rest to play by the rules. No one over stepped a turn at the bottle, for each one knew that their last could be any day. Neville, one of the leaders, would say, ‘Never shy from your true colours’ and these they would display with unbroken pride.

Your honour was earned by the friendships you garnered and gathered.

Some say they had magic on their sides; magic powers taken from the ages, used to ensure their place along the sand dunes. Others say they made friends easily, but were actually ghosts playing games on the common folk.

Only one place in the world for them. A sacred fellowship that haunts us all to this day . . .

I like to imagine seeing them there every time I go back to the seaside. Guarding their little corner of the Earth, and protecting the small sliver of paradise they managed to claim as their own.

Sometimes I can hear them sing their favourite tune; a memory that wavers from faded dream to brilliant exuberance.

It was a familiar one made their own by one of their musically gifted initiates –

Hopefully everybody remembers the post we did on Stephen Hawking and his wild sexual escapades in Los Angeles! But don’t think we forgot the brilliant genius that has made this 70-year old thinking legend an icon of science, as well as a real-life model for the extreme powers of the mind and spirit.

Online PhD has created an awesome ode to Dr. Hawking, with a timeline set in the stars of the world’s brightest bad-ass and his life and greatest achievments. We are honoured to showcase it for you right here on The Eye of Faith, so let us know what you think!

One thing is for sure, Stephen Hawking is an amazing inspiration to anyone at odds with limitations, whatever they may be. Through perseverance, hard-work, and above-all the confidence to explore the limits of possibility, Stephen Hawking is above-all a hero for hope in mankind itself.

Visit Online PhD whether you’re prepping for your PhD or simply thirsting for knowledge, the site is full of endless resources at your disposal. So check it out today!

I guess not much has changed. Like you all, I’ve been out and about searching for Xmas treasures, and I swear I saw every single one of these pieces in almost every {Present} day retail store out there! It’s really amazing.

One big difference you’ll find, however (other than the incredibly low prices of the 1930s), is the quality of these garments would be resoundingly higher than the versions you can find in stores today. That’s why I try mostly to stick to vintage on a budget, because chances are if it’s lasted all this time in great condition, it’s gonna keep delivering year after year as it has since its inception. So when it comes to sweaters go big (price-wise) or go vintage.

Ads from the 1930s are beautiful, and I just picked out a few stand-out moments that display the vivid vibrancy of the clothes you could find of this time. Would love to see a bit ore of that come back . . . but, it always does!

You just gotta hang in there.

This is a tear from a German catalog dating to 1933. I’m loving the layout they’ve got going on – c’est moderne. But, I also love how the sweaters are styled. As you can see…texture is key. Not to mention, striped cardigans are still the rage!

This is from the SUPREME Lookbook for Fall 2013/14.

Check out those bold colours, and I love the pop of green in the tie. Wish you could find more sweaters with a more generous opening at the collar to display shirts as finely as Jacques does. It’s formal, but relaxed. I like this outfit quite a bit.

Again, the colours of this piece are spectacular. Set against the ivory knit, all those colours almost become neutral and could virtually be worn with anything. Love the pattern of the graphics, and the intricacy of it all. Sporting a dapper watch never hurts, either. I think guys don’t sport cool sweater vest enough these days . . . so why not get inspired?

This guy is cool. His sweater is even cooler. This one is all about texture, not to mention details. Check out those buttons at the collar – how amazing is that?! Paired with a polka-dot tie, it goes to show that classic looks don’t need to be dull to pack a sophisticated punch. In fact, it takes a bit of panache to take it to the next level.

It’s all about playing your cards right in life, and the one mistake you could make is playing it safe, because you’ll just have another hundred people one-upping you from the spotlight you deserve.

Classic doesn’t mean boring. It means timeless. Just as we have shown “What Men Want to Buy” in the 1930s is pretty much the same stuff you can find now. We can take the same spirit of our inspiration of 1930s sweaters and find them in great pieces like this great LONDON FOG sweater from our {SHOP}.

If you’re {STYLE-WISE} like that, you can also save a pretty penny by investing in clothes that will stand the test of time (and your washing machine, for that matter).

While not all the gentlemen seen in this series have surf boards in their hands, they all undeniably possess that wicked spirit of the surf.

Spontaneous, effervescent, and wild like the waves, these are men of the past who have found sanctuary in the beauty of the ocean, and have used its energy to conjure an unbeatable swag, and undeniable attitude.

We love looking through what people wore, and especially with swimwear, not much has changed. Whether shorts or speedos, the look and style of these basics can still be found today.

And while we don’t wear the one-piece suits anymore, or have to swim with tank tops; these looks are more and more interesting and intriguing. There is some unique stuff there that just needs to come back (striped one-piece, graphic swim tanks) into play!

Especially with today’s climate, always drifting back to the past for inspiration, I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of these influences in the mix in coming years. If not, we’ll just have to take it on ourselves. Either way – it’s happening.

Check out the amazing pictures we’ve found for you all to get in the swing of Surf, and the attitude that makes it timeless beyond the bleached blonde hair and tubular moods we automatically associate with this lifestyle.

So what do you think? Have things changed that much? There’s no time value on fun in the sun, that’s for sure.

These guys are legends, and their music echoes like the voice of a lost memory. Dreams, and fantasy, illusion, and grandeur – these are all summoned by their music. Formed in 1971, Roxy Music lives on today as one of the most popular bands there have ever been, and were even honoured by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the “Immortal” in a list of their 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

We’d have to go ahead, and add them to our Best-Dressed Artists of All Time list with their wild nod to the past injected with the blinding buzz of Glam Rock England. We included a few pictures of these Idols, and were hoping the song be a great way to settle down into the night.

Bobby Beausoleil has a bit of a bad rep. Bad rep could be an understatement, but it’s true.

It never helps to be friends with Charles Manson, or get caught up in a war against society, but its sad to have this overshadow some of his greater achievements, like music. It goes without saying that he was a rebel to the extreme; a hardcore bad boy, his music translates a certain genius that was erased by his life’s tragedies.

Entitled “Penumbra”, and composed by Beausoleil himself, the track was not used for the film, but can be heard today along with the Freedom Orchestra to create a magical and mystic ride to other places. It’s definitely something to jam to, and knowing how the darkness delights you, I’m sure you will find this one truly intrinsic.

Bobby Beausoleil appeared also appeared in Kenneth Anger’s magic short, “Invocation of My Demon Brother”, alongside Anger himself, and the notorious Anton LaVey – the founder and High Priest of the First Church of Satan, and a staple haunt of the entertainment industry in California during this time.

Bobby Beausoleil, insane in the membrane in “Invocation of My Demon Brother” (1969)

These beautiful snapshots were taken by photographer Don James between the years 1936 and 1942 on the shores of San Onofre, California. Whether black and white, or the gorgeously desaturated Kodachrome prints, each photograph is a beautiful lost memory of fun had, and good times past.

Check out the waves, and all them cool cats.

Don’t you think these pictures could have been taken yesterday?

I love turning to old vintage snapshots like these for a good luck at how people dressed, and how little has changed!

Especially now that the vintage surf look is in vogue, these photographs can provide some sunny summer inspiration for your days to come.

The Way We Dressed is the Way We Dress.

+

Who says you can’t repeat the past? Enjoy these gorgeous pics and have a blast today. Promise?

When it was announced that Hedi Slimane was to take the place of Stefano Pilati as creative director of the iconic label Yves Saint-Laurent, the fashion world was left wondering what new innovations the Swiss designer could bring to the brand. Then he dropped the Yves.

That’s right. For over fifty years the brand has existed as YSL,a brand coveted for its luxury, craft, and intuition; and yet within a few moments under Slimane’s guiding eye, the brand switched from Yves Saint-Laurent, to Saint-Laurent Paris. A seemingly small change, but for fashion insiders, it seemed to represent a much grander prophecy.

It should come as no surprise, however, considering Hedi Slimane is a designer who is known for being a somewhat of a revolutionary when it comes to fashion. He is the man that ushered a tidal wave of change nearly a decade ago when he was appointment menswear designer for Dior; making Dior Homme not only a coveted brand worn by celebrities from Brandon Flowers and Pete Doherty to Cate Blanchett, but seriously revolutionized mens fashion altogether. While most collections stuck to a very standard approach to mens styles, Slimane flipped it on its head exchanging boot cuts for skinny jeans, made suspenders cool, had young guys think hats are cool, wearing skinny ties, and switching their blazer for cropped motorcycle jackets.

On top of that, he single handedly changed the standard of beauty for male models, exchanging the buff All-American dreamboat for the skinny skater kid you see hanging out in the alleyway with his friends sneaking a joint and giving each other tattoos. What would have been referred to as the ‘Teenage Wasteland’ by our grandparents, has now turned into the standard ideal of luxury by fashion insiders, which you have to admit is pretty damn cool.

And if there’s anyone who knows cool its Hedi Slimane, who took a break from designing and took a dip into the realms of industrial design, exhibition design, curating, and of course his photography which he showcased on his site, the Hedi Slimane Diary.

Now, Slimane has kicked it off with his debut menswear collection for Saint-Laurent in this latest F/W 2013 runway show, proving that he’s still got it in the bag when it comes to making mens fashion that feels fresh, cool, casual, with all the bad ass luxury of a world class rock star.

There’s plenty of vintage inspiration thrown in there too, with a definite ode to the 90s.

It’s a decadent rock n roll roller coaster of goth and grunge (very of the moment) that elevates the styles to a whole new level (being Saint-Laurent, after all). Plaid shirts, cardigans, ripped jeans, leopard print, fur coats, and oversized jackets – these are the new standards. Vive Revolution.

There’s definitely nods to the great, late, one-of-a-kind, king of sadness, rebel bad boy, Kurt Cobain in the mix. And while, we’ve seen this vintage inspiration dozens of times in the past, somehow Slimane is able to rejuvenate the look with unexpected combinations of texture, colour, pattern, and shape. And what might seem like odd styling choices, at times, only adds to the eclectic decadence.

You could even say it ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, as the anthem goes, but its more likely an invitation to ‘Come as You Are’, when you think about it. No need to fuss or muss. Just throw it on, and march. That’s the best part for us, and the most alluring and beautiful representation of Cobain’s unique style we’ve yet to see.

I see a little bit of River Phoenix in there, too . . . he was, of course, a forefather to that grunge look, and probably would have come to represent it even more if it weren’t for his untimely death. There’s also a little Jordan Catalano thrown into the mix . . .

His F/W Women’s Collection is equally full of these rebel notions, and 90’s attitudes. You can spot inspiration everything from Courtney Love, ‘The Craft’, ‘Daria’, ‘My So-Called Life’, ‘Reality Bites’, ‘Poison Ivy’, Gwen Stefani, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Bridget Fonda in ‘Singles’! It’s every fashionista’s dream collection, pretty much. Expect to see even more of this on the streets, and anyone who was doubting this particular breed of style, can suck it because this is Yves Saint-Laurent, baby – sorry, SAINT-LAURENT, baby!

Hats off to you, Slimane. You bring the past to life in a whole new way, and that’s what makes us love you most. You show that fashion is about reinvention as much as invention, and to look to the past and give it a new spin is about as innovative as you can get. You remind everybody that everything old is easily new again with a little bit of imagination.

Your vintage inspiration is out of this world, and you keep reinventing, not just how we dress, but yourself, in many ways, which is both aspirational and incorrigible to all those of us who call ourselves dedicated followers of fashion….

So, Merci Beaucoup. Somehow, you’ve made me feel like we’re definitely doing something right. And remember, it’s not about being perfect; it’s what makes you imperfect that really counts.

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The Eye of Faith {Vintage} is a brand dedicated to integrating time traveled wisdom from the {past} with the {present} to help shape the {future}. It is an age old symbol of believing in oneself, and having faith in your dreams. No longer must we be lost. We are a burgeoning society dedicated to an alternative to the purchase of affordable fashion forward apparel, accessories, and home decor. We also provide design services and consultation, as well as costume and styling. At our core, we are a source of inspiration and musing.
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